War on Terrorism

Monday, September 17, 2012

CHICAGO—A Hillside man was arrested
Friday evening after he allegedly attempted to detonate what he believed to be
car bomb in front of a bar in downtown Chicago, announced Gary S. Shapiro,
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; William C. Monroe,
Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation; and Garry F. McCarthy, Superintendent of the Chicago Police
Department.

The arrest of ADEL DAOUD, 18, a U.S.
citizen, was the culmination of a rigorous undercover operation during which
Daoud developed his attack plans and surveilled and selected a target. Daoud
was closely monitored by law enforcement and was offered several opportunities
to change his mind and walk away from the supposed attack.

“The explosives that Daoud allegedly
attempted to detonate posed no threat to the public. They were inert and had
been supplied by undercover law enforcement personnel,” Mr. Shapiro said.

Daoud was charged in a criminal
complaint filed today in U.S. District Court with one count of attempt to use
of a weapon of mass destruction (explosives) and one count of attempt to damage
and destroy a building by means of an explosive. Daoud had an initial
appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys. He remains in
custody pending a detention and preliminary hearing, which was scheduled for 3
p.m. Monday in federal court. Daoud faces a statutory maximum sentence of life
in prison for attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and a mandatory
minimum sentence of five years and a potential maximum of 20 years in prison
for attempt to damage or destroy a building by means of an explosive.

According to an affidavit in support of
the complaint, beginning in about October 2011, Daoud used e-mail accounts to
obtain and distribute material, some of which he purported to author, relating
to violent jihad and the killing of Americans.

In about May 2012, two FBI online
undercover employees contacted Daoud in response to material Daoud posted
online and thereafter exchanged several electronic communications with Daoud.
According to the affidavit, during these communications Daoud expressed an
interest in engaging in violent jihad, either in the United States or overseas.

The affidavit alleges that, from late
May to mid-June 2012, Daoud confirmed his belief in the propriety of killing
Americans in a terrorist attack and then began seeking online resources
regarding how to carry out an attack.

In about June 2012, Daoud was introduced
to a purported cousin of one of the undercover employees, who said he resided
in New York and was an operational terrorist. Daoud allegedly expressed an
interest in meeting the cousin, who unbeknownst to Daoud was an FBI undercover
agent. In the course of his dealings with the undercover agent, Daoud allegedly
drafted a list of approximately 29 potential targets, including military
recruiting centers, bars, malls, and other tourist attractions in the Chicago
area. He then selected, researched and surveilled a target for attack to be
carried out with an explosive device supplied by the undercover agent, the
affidavit alleges.

About 7:15 p.m. yesterday, Daoud met the
undercover agent in Villa Park and they drove to downtown Chicago. During the
drive, Daoud led the undercover agent in a prayer that Daoud and the agent
succeed in their attack, kill many people, and cause destruction. They entered
a parking lot where a Jeep containing the purported explosive device was
parked. Daoud then drove the Jeep out of the parking lot and parked the vehicle
in front of a bar in downtown Chicago, which was the target that he had
previously selected. According to the affidavit, Daoud exited the vehicle and
walked to an alley approximately a block away, and in the presence of the
undercover agent, attempted to detonate the device by pressing the triggering
mechanism. He was then arrested.

This case was investigated by the
Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which is comprised of FBI
special agents, officers from the Chicago Police Department and representatives
from 20 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The Justice Department’s
National Security Division assisted in the investigation.

The public is reminded that a criminal
complaint contains mere allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent and is
entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving
guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.